Blaenwern

Blaenwern is a Welsh Christian hymn tune composed by William Penfro Rowlands (1860–1937), during the Welsh revival of 1904–1905. 'Blaenwern' was first published in Henry H. Jones' Cân a Moliant (1915).

The meter of the tune is 8.7.8.7.D (alternating lines of eight and seven syllables) in F major or G major key, or occasionally A flat major.

The tune is named after Blaenwern Farm near Tufton, Pembrokeshire, where Rowlands sent his son from Porth to stay with friends of the family to convalesce as it was thought the fresh air would assist his recovery, and he named the tune in honour of them.

In the United Kingdom BLAENWERN has come to be used as the prevalent setting for the hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,[1] but also in other settings including the Welsh Deued Dyddiau O Bob Cymysg by William Williams Pantycelyn, and Calon Lân by Daniel James. It also became familiar to a wider audience through the Billy Graham crusades when it was used as a setting to What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

As a setting for Love Divine it is a popular choice at English weddings and was voted as one of Britain's ten favourite hymns in October 2005.[2] Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, set to Blaenwern, was selected as one of three hymns sung at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton,[3] the others being Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, set to Cwm Rhondda, and Jerusalem.

The tune was also used for Love Divine, All Loves Excelling at the funeral of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher in 2013.

Because of the prevalence of tune BEECHER with "Love Divine" in American hymnals, they have been prone to introduce BLAENWERN with other lyrics of matching metrical pattern, such as "It Is Good to Sing Thy Praises" from a versification of Psalm 92 in John McNaugher's Psalter (1912).[4]

References

  1. ↑ Tune BEECHER, composed by John Zundel, is most commonly used with "Love Divine" in American hymnals.
  2. ↑ "The nation's favourite hymn: Songs of Praise". BBC. 2005-10-27. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  3. ↑ "Music for the Wedding Service". Official Royal Wedding 2011 (Blog). 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
  4. ↑ See, e.g., Wiegand, John (1997). "It Is Good to Sing Your Praises". Praise for the Lord. Nashville, Tennessee: Praise Press. p. 946. ISBN 0-89098-119-1.
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